


I Swear I Can Be

by cantfuckinbelievethis (orphan_account)



Series: Prompts [50]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Feelings, Is This Comedy?, M/M, Old Relationships, is this angst?, is this fluff?, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 00:03:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13111404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/cantfuckinbelievethis
Summary: Hi I have a prompt! AU where I&M are in a stable relationship for a few years, Lip and Mickey couldn't get along the whole time. While every one thought they just didn't click (cuz Lip's a jerk and Mickey just didn't like ppl), the truth was they used to date (or were fuck buddies)! When Ian and the other Gallaghars found out...haha please fill the end in for me;)





	I Swear I Can Be

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: cantfuckinbelievethis 
> 
> Open for prompts!

‘Go _fuck_ yourself, _Phillip_ ,’ Mickey seethed as Lip glared at him from across the table.  
  
    ‘All I’m saying is that just because you sometimes buy Ian shit now, doesn’t make you a good boyfriend,’ Lip responded, a look of innocence on his face.  
  
    Ian rolled his eyes. ‘Lip, shut the fuck up. You don’t know what you’re talking about — Mickey’s a great boyfriend.’  
  
    ‘Can we please just _once_ not have this argument?’ Debbie sighed from the other end of the dinner table. ‘I feel like every time you get Lip and Mickey together it becomes an argument out of nothing.’  
  
    The rest of the Gallaghers all nodded along in agreement. No matter the occasion, when Lip and Mickey got together, without fail, there was a fight brewing. No one really understood why they didn’t get along that well. Ian figured his brother was being protective (even if it was in a jerk-ish way), Fiona figured that Mickey just didn’t like anyone and Lip didn’t like his attitude, Debbie thought they just didn’t lick, and Carl and Liam couldn’t care less as long as it didn’t disturb their family time. Either way, they were _done_.  
  
    ‘Yeah, can we stop?’ Ian pleaded. ‘Mickey, you’re fine as you are, and Lip, stop starting shit. You wouldn’t know anything about what kind of boyfriend Mickey is.’  
  
    Ian was shocked to find his brother’s glare transferring over to him. He blinked in surprise as Lip snapped, ‘Fuck off, Ian. You’re not a part of this.’  
  
    ‘Wait, it’s about his relationship with Mickey…Why isn’t he a part of it? Isn’t this about him…?’ Fiona trailed off, confused.  
  
    Lip clenched his jaw, looking around at his family and not really knowing what to say. All he knew was that he was feeling angrier and angrier. Finally, he snapped and stood up from the table, storming out the back door.  
  
    He heard everyone, even Mickey, protest, ‘Lip!’ But he was already gone.  
  
    Ever since his relationship, or whatever-the-fuck, with Mickey ended, he had just gotten more frustrated at seeing them together. It had been years since he and Mickey had happened — he wasn’t in love with him anymore. It was more annoyance and bitterness that Ian had ended up with what he wanted. He was starting to understand why Ian had gotten so upset at Lip getting the Westpoint offer now. He didn’t want Mickey anymore, but fuck if he wasn’t pissed that Ian had him. At some point, he knew it was childish to feel this way, but it still resulted in him picking a fight with Mickey any chance he got.  
  
    How the hell was he supposed to face his family now that he had that random outburst? Maybe Mickey would sort it out for him.  
  


* * *

  
‘Uhhhhhhhh…What the fuck was that?’ Ian questioned, turning to his boyfriend, who actually looked genuinely upset for some reason.  
  
    Mickey just looked up at the table of Gallaghers, really not knowing what to say. How do you even start the story of banging your boyfriend’s brother while you were broken up? Especially when you factor in that he was pretty sure Lip had had feelings for him. There was no way _Mickey_ was going to figure out how to appropriately communicate that.  
  
    So, instead, he followed Lip’s cue and stood up, racing out the back door. He heard everyone yell after him, and Ian stand up, but he kept running until he reached under the L. Gasping for breath, he bent over and let himself calm down from whatever just happened back there.  
  
    ‘Been a long time since I’ve seen you bent over here,’ Lip said as he approached him. He had been standing a few feet away, smoking, when he saw Mickey.  
  
    ‘Fuck off,’ Mickey grumped, stealing the smoke and taking a drag. ‘You really gotta stop this, you know that?’  
  
    Lip shrugged, lighting another cigarette for himself. ‘I know.’  
  
    ‘Look,’ Mickey began before squeezing his eyes shut as if he was in physical pain. Rubbing his forehead, he said, ‘I’ve gotta ask, even if it feels fuckin’ stupid…You don’t still…You know… _Like_ me or whatever.’  
  
    Lip snorted, making Mickey shove him in anger. ‘No. Not into you like that anymore. That ended around the time you came out. Not that that was the cause, ya know, but just around that time…kinda faded out.’  
  
    Mickey blinked, contemplating how long it actually was that Lip had lived with those feelings. He still couldn’t believe Lip had actually had feelings for him, and he could never picture a time now that he would feel as guilty as he had about something to do with Lip Gallagher. It was almost like that time for the both of them was an alternate universe that only they remembered.  
  
    ‘Okay. So what’s your fuckin’ damage?’ Mickey snapped, annoyed that Lip was starting shit for apparently no reason.  
  
    Lip shrugged. ‘Dunno. Think I’m just bitter that Ian got everything I wanted. Not only…someone to love and all that shit, but…Ian’s actually doing a lot better than I am right now. He’s got a good job, a boyfriend, he’s moved out of home…I’m just stuck being the petulant dick I was at seventeen.’  
  
    ‘So you’re jealous of Ian, so you fuck with me?’ Mickey huffed. ‘Why not mess with him?’  
  
    ‘Couldn’t do it directly — he’s my brother,’ Lip said. ‘Besides, dunno if you’ve noticed, but messing with you is messing with him, technically.’  
  
    ‘Fuck off.’ Mickey scoffed. ‘Well, whatever. Get a therapist and sort it out, you whiner. I’m planning on being around a long time and you can’t start shit like this.’  
  
    ‘Think we’ve gotta tell Ian…’  
  
    ‘Tell Ian, what?’ Ian interrupted, storming up with the rest of the Gallagher clan behind him. He looked pissed now. ‘We’ve been looking for you guys. What the fuck are you two hiding? I’ve seen your secret looks and shit — what’s your problem?’  
  
    ‘…We…’ Lip looked at Mickey, his face full of fear.  
  
    Mickey had never seen Lip look so worried, even when Mickey had been about to beat the shit outta him all those years ago. This time, he decided to take the bullet. He knew he and Ian were solid, and they’d been through worse shit than this.  
  
    ‘When you were off at the army, Lip and I started banging,’ Mickey announced, realising he was pretty much outing Lip. It wasn’t great, but Lip had said he wanted to tell him. Before anyone could speak, Mickey continued, ‘We kinda ended up…dating, sort of? Not for long, only a few months. We ended it like a month before you came back. We never brought it up because it was fuckin’ awkward and weird for both of us.’  
  
    Lip and everyone else watched Ian with baited breath, waiting to see his reaction. To everyone’s shock, Ian just started laughing.  
  
    ‘Oh my _God_ , you and Lip?’ Snorting, Ian covered his face as he continued to laugh hysterically. ‘So you argue like that because you’re _exes_? Fuck, that’s funny.’  
  
    ‘You’re not…angry?’ Lip frowned.  
  
    ‘Well, I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m annoyed you kept it from me. Still, it’s fuckin’ weird, so I get why you did,’ Ian said, shrugging as he chuckled a little. Wrapping an arm around Mickey’s shoulder, he added, ‘So long as you’re not gonna try and steal him away from me.’  
  
    Mickey and Lip exchanged a look, faces screwing up in disgust.  
  
    ‘You’re safe,’ Lip sneered.  
  
    ‘ _Hey_!’ Mickey snapped, shoving him. ‘I was the best you’ll ever fuckin’ get, shit-head!’  
  
    ‘What about Mandy?’ Fiona asked.  
  
    ‘Still me.’ Mickey snorted.  
  
    ‘Wait.’ Ian stopped everyone short. ‘Does Mandy know? You should really tell her, you know.’  
  
    Lip and Mickey exchanged another look of horror.  
  
    Fuck.  
  
    Mandy was gonna lose it — and not like Ian.

**Author's Note:**

> Dunno how I feel about this tbh, but I got itchy eyes halfway through and pretty much wrote this with one eye shut, so I'm still proud!


End file.
